Today was my second day back to work. It was a tough day. I've noticed that my jaw/ear area is a lot more painful after speaking for a while. The catch 22 is it's hard not to speak when the condition requires an explanation. Well to be fair to those around me I think it's best to offer a brief explanation. Going in to work I was dreading this very part of my day and coping with the reactions of those around me. The first day I attempted to return to work was the very day after my diagnosis. It was emotionally taxing explaining to everyone while the wound was still so fresh. One thing I can strongly suggest is take a few days to rest, strengthen yourself mentally and focus on learning about the condition and cling to any bit of positive reinforcement you can find. Then try to return to work when you are better armed to handle the environment and situation.
Truth be told there are some things you will need that you may take for granted. I'd like to state in advance that I am not promoting these products in away nor am I offering any medical advice/recommendations. I am merely stating what I have purchased and what has or hasn't worked for me. 1) Lubricating eye "gel" not drops - they dry out entirely too quickly. I initially started out using Blink Gel Tears, but have found that Systane Gel Drops "Anytime Protection" works best for me thus far. 2) 3M Nexcare Opticlude eye patches to keep the afflicted eye shut during the night. I made the mistake of taking this for granted once already and will not revisit the repercussions. It is terribly uncomfortable to say the least. Now, with the "eye boogers" the gel drops create I found myself wanting to don one of these patches during the day to shield others from the 'unglamorousness' of it all. I quickly got over that once I realized that it just wasn't feasible. Working behind a computer all day it made me feel as if I was going cock-eyed. Not only did it increase the stress on my healthy eye it also decreased my peripherals and made me feel much less productive. Needless to say, I didn't even consider one while driving. What I did do while driving was make sure that the air vents weren't blowing anywhere near my eyes. I found driving to be one of the more difficult tasks; in part because I think I blink less. 3) Johnson & Johnson non-stick pads and 3M micropore tape for use when the Nexcare Opticlude eye patch adhesive makes my skin tender. Let me tell you, the package for the Opticludes state they are gentle to the skin but with time some irritation does still occur. The non-stick eye patches offer some relief to this. 4) Refresh P.M. lubricant eye ointment for use while sleeping. The gel drops just don't suffice in terms of keeping your eye lubricated for a good 5-8 hours while sleeping. This lubricant felt a little odd at first because it has the viscosity and texture of vaseline. The recommendation is that you place a strip in your lower eye lid; however, when I released my lid it all seemed to ooze up and out of the lid without coating much of the eye. To remedy this I simply pull my upper eyelid away from the eye, pull it downward and gently massage the lubricant into the rest of the eye. This makes everything blurry, but that is beside the point considering I'm about to put a patch on and retire for the night. 5) A sturdy cup with a "straw" as you will likely be insatiably thirsty and drinking from a cup without a straw is, well, impossible. 6) Smith's lip balm to keep these terribly chapped lips under control. This is one of the symptoms I noticed that seems to rarely be mentioned. I'm not sure if the chapped lips derive from the feeling of severe dehydration or from mouth breathing at night as my nose seems to be extremely congested at night. 7) Super foods, the foods I've read about that help with reducing inflammation. I won't go into detail here, but I will say I'm trying to do everything I can to beat this thing. So, if it takes the consumption of a cup of blueberries a day I'll give it a good shot. Items 1, 5, 6 and 7 are must-haves for work in my opinion.
I am blessed to say that the team at work is very supportive. They are going to handle more of the "face-time" required tasks and the owner of the company stated that I can work from home as much as need be to aid in my recovery. Thank the Lord! He attempted to send me home early a few times because he could tell I wasn't feeling well. Being the hardheaded individual I am I didn't heed his advise. By the end of the work day I was absolutely exhausted. Although I haven't had any changes in my facial demeanor I do feel as if I have overcome one obstacle today. Facing those around me. It's tough, but it can be done.
-Belle Story
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